Seen around the web

I've been sucked back into the YA genre, and really enjoying it, so this list gave me some more to explore.

No amount of yoga will save us from the effects of overwork  |  thought-provoking, even for someone who doesn't work outside the house. Downtime never feels enough, and there's a reason for that.

Why three is the most stressful number to have, but mothers of four are MORE relaxed  |  then they have a fifth, and slowly lose their mind!

Apple Pie Popcorn  |  sounds like a tasty snack that I'm going to whip up during the week

Discover the kitchen style for your Myers-Briggs personality type  |  spot on for this little ISFJ.

You can also see more on my secret pinterest board.

Linking up with The Annoyed Thyroid for The Ultimate Rabbit Hole

 

Pinners I love to repin

Today's prompt share ten pinners you love to follow We all have such varied interests, finding new pinners to follow is fun!

I worked out recently that I've been on pinterest a long time, since early 2011 in fact. That's five years! I love nothing more than to research a topic via pinterest (don't you use it like google?), or spend a quiet Saturday morning pinning while Steve sleeps (although this morning I had to shop, kids want to eat all the time!)

In no particular order, here are ten pinners I follow and repin regularly

• Marcy Penner. A wide variety of craft, scrapbooking, DIY boards.
• Successful Blogging. Blogging is my biggest area of interest. Sue pins plenty of material that I haven't seen before.
• Katepickle. Kate pins a huge variety from recipes, kid activities, mindful parenting.
• Erika Sissons. Well known in the scrapbooking community, Erika pins a huge variety of layouts, craft and DIY.
• Maxabella. I've especially been loving Bron's screen-free pins lately.
• Julie Ann Shahin. Boards focused on DIY, art journalling, cards, seasonal, you're sure to find something to repin here.
• Anne @ Domesblissity. Anne pins lots of amazing recipes, from her blog and others.
• LouisaG. I love the quotes Louisa finds, they often pop up just as I need to hear the words.
• Johoanna Robson. A great range of art journalling, earth goddess, Dungeons&Dragons boards.
• About the Garden. A great collection of gardening articles from an Australian blog.

Who's your favourite pinner?

Tomorrow's prompt free choice share any story you want to

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An InLinkz Link-up

Seen around the web

Today's prompt what have you been reading this week? Share your favourite links from the week, and don't forget to link up with the Ultimate Rabbit Hole linky.

Benefits of writing letters and postcards  |  HuffPost  |  "imagine the powerful message you convey when you actually write out your thoughts for another person by hand, purchase a stamp, physically deliver your note to a mailbox and wait days for your special someone to receive it."

52 Blog post topics for Creative Entrepreneurs  |  Blacksburg Belle  | or anybody who is looking for ideas for their editorial calendar.

A lifetime of YES moments  |  Lasso the Moon  |  This is something I'm still trying to figure out.

Why are conferences so cliquey?  |  Bon Bon Break  |  This was interesting reading, in light of the upcoming ProBlogger Event in August.

Tomorrow's prompt  quotable quote Share a quote that caught your eye this week

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<a href="http://www.lifebehindthepurpledoor.com/2015/04/blog-every-day-in-may.html" title="{life behind the purple door}"><img src="http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa21/purplecrazymum/blog%20every%20day%20125.jpg" alt="{life behind the purple door}" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

An InLinkz Link-up

day two | reading right now

I realised recently that I was pinning and saving links on facebook without actually clicking through to read the article. Probably because my attention is divided by children, so it's easier to click save in the hopes of coming back... but one day hasn't happened yet. (I have over 500 links saved, oh my!)

Here's just a recent selection

• 11 things I wish every parent knew  |  via Picklebums (I love that facebook saves where I saved the post from!)
• Tips for creating your first ecourse  |  via Darren Rowse
• 4 things I learnt when my post went viral  |  via Checks and Spots
• Motherhood and Writing  |  via Digital Parents Australia
• Generation X is sick of your bullshit
• Me Time is bullshit once you're a mum  |  via Finding Myself Young

You can always check out my seen around the web pinboard, or just follow me on pinterest

<div align="center">
<a href="http://www.lifebehindthepurpledoor.com/2015/04/blog-every-day-in-may.html" title="{life behind the purple door}"><img src="http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa21/purplecrazymum/blog%20every%20day%20125.jpg" alt="{life behind the purple door}" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

An InLinkz Link-up

seen around the web

I wanted to try something a bit different this week with my link round up. I was struck by the thought that reading something useful first thing on a Monday morning can change the course of your whole week. Of course, just because I think something is useful doesn't mean you will, but I'm hoping you'll enjoy reading these links anyway.

Cornflake Choc Chip cookies  |  taste  |  these were a favourite of Chloe's when she was little, but I haven't made them for years. It's time to change that.

Writing Your Way To Happiness  |  nytimes  |  the therapeutic benefits of journalling are well documented. I've solved many a bad mood by writing it out.

52 Things Ideas for Writers in 2015  |  huffpo  |  whether you consider yourself a writer or blogger, there are some great ideas here to keep your writing.

Meeting in the Middle  |  coffee and crumbs  |  parenting is hard. Parenting with a partner is always a fine balance of sharing.

two self-care myths sabotagingyour ME time  |  abundant mama  |  "when we love ourselves enough to nourish ourselves in a way that leaves us feeling more relaxed, we can be more kind, more loving, more playful and more healthy"

just start blogging  |  bloggers and bacon  |  even without the awesome URL, Vanessa knows her stuff, and serves it up first thing in the morning, in bite size chunks.

What have you been reading this week?

linking up with Calm to Conniption for the Ultimate Rabbit Hole link up.

seen around the web

I love the save feature on facebook. I hated it when it first came out, because I knew if I used it, I would probably save and never read. But I've got over that (although I was right, I do sometimes save stuff without reading it), but using it has expanded my reading - now I can save stuff from business groups I'm in, and blogging groups, and even just what shows up in my feed. And the best bit is I can share them with you!

It's not your job to make your kids happy  |  Picklebums  |  I've been reading Kate's blog for a long time, she's one of the first Aussie bloggers I ever read outside of scrapbooking, and yet her advise is timeless, and so crucial for all parents.

How to choose fabric  |  Sew Delicious  |  Ros puts together beautiful fabric combinations, so I was excited to see her tips

Coconut Lime cookies  |  Boiled Eggs & Soldiers  |  we need to shake up our cookie repertoire as we head back to school in a couple of days, these look like a great place to start

We need to talk about death and dying  |  Sarah's Heart Writes  |  Sarah's words are always powerful, and thoughtful.

Nine tips for organiing your desk  |  Hightail blog  |  I am always drowning in clutter on my desk, so these tips are helpful (and on this week's to-do list once the kids are at school)

OLW 2015 January Pages  |  Emilie Ahern  |  Totally inspired by these pages to try a different album size this year

Backyard Chickens. What you need to know  |  The Multitasking Mummy  |  We had chickens growing up (ten was far too many, mum!), and it's on our one-day list, so I keep reading up about keeping chickens in suburbia

Favourite books of 2014  |  Modern Mrs Darcy  |  I haven't seen many "I read" or "best of" lists this January, so I bookmarked every one I did see, how else will I find good reading material?

linking up with Calm to Conniption for the Ultimate Rabbit hole Link Up (what an awesome name!)

seen around the web

Candy Cane Syrup  |  Chica & Jo  |  perfect to use up leftover candy canes

Candy Cane Steamers  |  in Katrina's Kitchen  |  perfect for using that candy cane syrup (and I think something the kids will love as a special Christmas treat)

Add quiet to your day  |  The Art of Simple  |  a gentle reminder to find quiet each day

Memory Keeping get started today  |  RUKristin  |  a great reminder to not get caught up in the hype

3 ways I'm taking stock at the end of the year  |  Scoutie Girl  |  I'm still struggling to see my word for 2015, this is a good way to pause and see how far I've come this year.

The day the computer {almost} died  |  I remember that feeling of disaster all too clearly, luckily it was averted

seen around the web

How to make mason jar salads  |  The Organised Housewife  |  this looks good enough to tempt non-salad-eating me to make some better choices

The art of keeping a journal  |  Katie Clemmons via The Art of Simple  |  "And to be honest, we just need to know we have a voice, and that our story matters."

Ornaments and their stories mini album  |  Monika at I love it All  |  I have had this on my list for forever. I've purchased photo albums, taken photos of ornaments, designed my template for words. And that's it. Until now.

5 tips for avoiding memory keeper burnout  |  Documenting Life Workshop  |  As I scroll through my list of bookmarks, I realise that the posts about scrapbooking and creativity are jumping out and catching my attention. I think it's time to figure out how to fit them back into my every day.

Going analogue in a techy world  |  Laura Rothlisberger at Life Your Way  |  I love my bullet journal. It totally makes sense to me to expand it a bit to a journal and catcher of all words.

Paper & pen or electronic?

seen around the web

How can we all stop feeling so unsettled?  |  Heartfelt Living by Maxabella Loves  |  I haven't made it through my feedly list this week, so I hadn't read this until I saw it linked from another blog, but I saw Bron's original post on facebook, and I totally get what she means. There's been something in the air lately, and it's made me pull my head way back into my shell and reassess.

Why your blog doesn't stand a chance in hell of succeeding (and what to do about it)  | Boost Blog Traffic  |  a wise friend said to me recently "stop writing for other bloggers, start writing for your readers", and she was so right! This post just reinforced that thought, and sent my mind spiralling into a thousand new ideas

8 ways a simple notebook can change your life  |  The Week  |  Since I made the decision back in February to try bullet journalling, I have loved it. There are all sort sof scribbled notes, from books to read, to details from phone conversations. My notebook is amazing.

Project Life Lessons  |  Caylee Grey  |  [part two here] I know it seems odd that I'd share this, when you consider that I haven't printed one single photo this year, but there were so many tips here about just getting it done that I'm adding it to my to-do-before-January-1 list

Make time to play today  |  Do what you love  |  play as a grown up is on my mind lately, these tips are great reminders that it's ok to play

What have you been reading this week?

seen around the web v20

I've spent a lot of time this past week nursing Sophie (she's cut another tooth), so Saturday morning is the perfect time to share those links that have had me thinking and pondering.

Positive Life: Slow hunches and getting great ideas  |  Positive Psychology  |  Ellen was a fellow Clever Cookie student who knows her way around thoughtful and thought-provoking words

What your daily practice can teach you about yourself  |  Tara Leaver on Scoutie Girl  |  now I'm finally moving out of the baby-needs-me-every-second fog, I'm starting to explore the idea of daily practice again

33 thoughts on reading  |  Austin Kleon  |  books have always been part of my world, but I have never learnt the lesson of not lending them to people!

10 ideas - reconnect with your kids after school  |  Maxabella Loves  |  this struck a chord with me because the kids walk in, get changed, say hi, eat, then I start cooking (we eat early so Steve eats before work), we don't spend much time together in those after-school-hours.

The no-particular-destination project, and why it's awesome  |  CraftyPod  |  I really struggle to create without a purpose, so this has me thinking and wondering if I could really do it

Printable conversation cards  |  Childhood 101  |  Picklebums linked to these again on facebook last week, this time I actually downloaded the. A good place to start that reconnection.

Day 21 favourite posts  |  me  |  I love diving into my archives, and this would have to be the most thorough look recently. I must be due to compile a post about the last year's posts soon.

What have you been reading and loving lately?

~~ this is my 1300th post ~~

seen around the web

Chasing the Light  |  Scoutie Girl

Remembering My Life Preserver  |  F.I.M.B.Y.

Life is not a buffet  |  Karen Grunberg

Here's why you're doing a better job of parenting than you think  |  Not Just Cute

When you run out of ideas  |  Zen Habits

seen around the web

Earl Gray Coffee Cake and Hi  |  Jessie Harold at The Creative Mama

There's a Scanner in my Pocket  |  Everyday Snapshots

To DON'T Do  |  The Art of Simple {formerly Simple Mom}

10 Benefits of Reading  |  LifeHack

Creating family friendly routines  |  Simple Kids

seen around the web

New Mamas Get Nothing Done  |  Anne Rust on mamaseeds

Tell a Friend: You are a Good Mama  |  Tamara Reese on Kveller

Creativity in the Moment: Just Be  |  Amanda Rose on Scoutie Girl

Simplify your life by Writing it Down  |  Be More With Less

seen around the web

Those People  |  Jennifer Ball on Scary Mommy

To My Post-Partum Self  |  Lynn Shattuck on Elephant Journal

She Left Me With A Single Word  | The Beetle Shack

The Creative Work of Mothers  |  Awesomely Awake

seen around the web

I've changed the way I read so much in the last couple of months. Now I can be found sitting on the couch, with a baby on one arm and the iPad leaning close to the other arm. I open links in safari, read them, think "wow, that's so cool" and leave them sitting open to write link-sharing posts such as this. But actually sitting at the computer is hard, so I don't keep the posts open, and I haven't figured out how to bookmark (or Pocket) in safari, so I lose them. But these are good links.

Do You Blog for Intrinsic Reasons, or Extrinsic Ones?  |  CraftyPod

The internet IS real life  |  Nextness

3 ways to be original  |  Betty Means Business

A traveler's perspective on being present  |  FIMBY

seen around the web

You Won't Finish This Article  |  Slate

The Truth Behind "I'm Not Creative"  |  Melissa Dinwiddie

Unplugging: People First, Things Second Guest Post from Renee Peterson Trudeau  |  Ali Edwards

Boho Perfectionism  |  Your Courageous Life

seen around the web

20 Google+ resources from Campfire Chic - Google+ seems to be the way to head these days

4 compelling reasons for Creative People to start using Google Plus from Lateral Action - "if you aspire to do something creative and original, you probably shouldn't do what 'everyone else' is doing"

Ventage Tuesday : you gotta have faith from Katrina Simeck - I loved this list of quotes!

I've been using evernote all wrong. Here's why it's actually amazing from lifehacker - I'm still figuring out Evernote, but I do like it

Project Life posts

weeks 7 & 8 from Tracy Larsen

week 9 from wild blueberry ink

What have you been reading this week?

seen around the web

10 things I know about writing from The Veggie Mama - nodded my head all the way through

Immortality from Always Josefa - stories + words forever

Intro to Iphoneography from Veronica Armstrong - my iPhone 5 seems to be the camera of choice at the moment, so this is helpful

Ten tips for the point & shoot craft-ographer from May Flaum -  taking better photos seems to be on my mind lately

How do your old blog posts play into content strategy? from CraftyPod - loving this whole series, but there's some great ideas in this one.

What are you reading this week?

seen around the web

How to unlock creativity in your home from Steady Mom - some great reminders

Taking control of overwhelm from Scoutie Girl - I've been dipping in and out of posts at Scoutie Girl for a few years now, sometimes something just clicks. This is a great post with an idea for trying to figure out a way forward, try it, it might work for you.

Your values are more important than your schedule from FIMBY - another good reminder that some things are ok to let go of.

4 steps to better blogging time management from Amy Lynn Andrews - these could be just as relevant for all roles in life

Project Life

Project Life: Keeping your sanity from My Scrapbook Art

Project Life Mini 'Holiday' Album from Petra Corcoran

What have you been reading lately?

seen around the web

Ali Edwards shared this link on facebook a few days ago. I'll admit, I seem to be taking all my photos with my iphone at the moment, so these were handy tips - take better pictures with your iphone from grumbles and grunts

5 biggest obstacles to crafting with kids (and how to overcome them) from inner child fun- Riley's showing a real interest in making stuff at the moment, so this is a handy reminder for me

A Creative Life: finding your creativity and making time to create from simple homemade- when I first read this is was reminded of how much I struggle to complete craft projects. The biggest reminder was to pick doable projects! I think I'll be bringing back less pinterest more do this year.

go outside, you animal from Sarah Selecky- I can't remember who shared this link on facebook, but I nodded my head all the way through

7 tips for making outdoor time a habit from childhood 101 - oh, how I need this reminder, I don't do outdoors when we're at home (camping is something different)

What have you been reading lately?